WEEK OF 9/13/2019

Mannequin Pussy / all 📷 : Kyle Land

Lincoln Hall played host to a rather magical all-ages show last Wednesday featuring some of the hottest up-and-coming post-punk acts on tour at the moment. The venue was alight in early energy, with plenty of excited fans already lined up at the stage patiently awaiting showtime. Always known for their shows starting on schedule, Lincoln Hall got the ball rolling exactly at 7PM with Ellis. Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, the dreamwave quartet started as the solo project Linnea Siggelkow and grew into a full-fledged band after making a name for herself in Toronto’s DIY scene. Her beautiful gossamer tunes started out a little mellow for a few minutes, but they soon turned it on for a formidable jam-out to close “frostbite” (from EP THE FUZZ) and the whole mood shifted to one of awe. A meek bedroom rocker Siggelkow is not, as she extended the next several tunes into unique sessions of fuzzed-out bliss.  By the time they hit the final shouting refrain of, “what a mess!,” there was no question we had all witnessed the coming-about of something special: an artist with a powerful emotional core and the will to speak her mind. A theme that would persist throughout the evening. 

Speaking of swagger, Destroy Boys are a walking personification of confidence and feminist demolition. This quartet out of Sacramento may be young, but they know exactly what they’re doing. With debut, Sorry, Mom and Make Room released in the last two years, they’ve burst on the punk circuit with an enthusiasm and energy that rivals any vetern act. The riled-up audience consumed them like candy, breaking into a mosh pit that never quit after singer Alexia Roditis leaped into the crowd to start the set. Their endless energy, led by guitarist Violet Mayugba’s never-stop moving performance and tight rhythm section of Falyn Walsh (bass) and Narsai Malik (drums) kept the show going strong for their full set that ended far too soon but with a wall of death coached by Roditis. The future of rock looks exactly like Destroy Boys- get used to it. 

This summer has been all about Mannequin Pussy’s new record Patience, and when this show came up, we had tickets right away to see Marisa Dabice and company tear down Schubas with their post-punk brilliance. Then, when the show sold out and moved to sister venue Lincoln Hall,  the Philly quartet could really stretch their wings and take over the DePaul adjacent venue, leaving every ounce of sweat and effort on the stage. They did just that, running through nearly all of Patience, a new tune or two, and a few off ‘16s Romantic. After last year’s burner of a Riot Fest set, there were high hopes, and it’s easy to say that Mannequin Pussy shattered even our most absurd dreams with a primal set that conquered every expectation. As Dabice trust-fell into the crowd at the end, (even though her soul had been barred for the last hour), there was a ceremonial cutting of the final connective tissue that seperated performer from audience. We all became one in that moment. A collective force of rock, ready to set out and change the world. Inspiring doesn’t cut it. Words are meaningless to describe the moment. It just, was...  

- Kyle Land